Lawn-mower.



fNo. 65|,9o2. Patented lune I9, |900. s. Pf. TowNsENn.

LAWN MOWER.

(Application led Jan. 10, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

TN: Nonms PETER: co., Fumo-uma., WASHINGTON. n. c

Patented I une 19, |900.

S. P. TWNSEND.

LA WN MOWER,

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1899.) Y

' 2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL PERCY TOW'NSEND,VOF BLOOM'FIELD, NEW JERSEY.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,902, dated June 19, 1900. i

Application filed January 10, 1899. Serial No. 701,745. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that l, SAMUEL Pnnov TOWN- SEND, a citizenof'the United States, and a resident of Bloom field, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification;

My invention consists of certain improve'- Inents in lawn-mowers, the character and objects of my improvements being fully set forth hereinafter and the new constructions and combinations of parts constituting my invention being specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View, partly in section, of sufficient of a lawn-mower to illustrate my present inlprovements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of one of the reel-bearings and part ofthe driving mechanism of the reel. Fig. et is a section on the line w w, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on'the line xx, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end view of the hub portion of one of the traction-wheels of the machine, showing the shaft in sect-ion. Fig. 7is alongtudinal section, on an enlarged scale, on the liney y, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a'view, partlyin longitudinal section and partly in elevation, also on an enlarged scale, of one ofthe end bearings for the rear roller ofthe machine; and Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a modification of part of the invention.

The opposite side frames of the machine are represented at 1 1, these side frames being connected together at the forward ends by a transverse rod or shaft 2, upon the projecting ends of which are mounted so as to turn freely the traction driving-wheels 3 of the machine, each of said wheels, or either of them, as desired, having an internal annular rack 4,which meshes with a pinion 5 on the reel-shaft 6. Each side frame 1 has a `projecting flange 7,

which, except at and near the pinion 5, is overlapped by a laterally-projecting flange 8 on the wheel 3, and said wheel has an inwardlyprojecting flange 9, which, except at and near the pinion 5, is overlapped by -a laterally-projecting fiange 10 on the sideframe, so that throughout the greater portion of its extent the annular rack t is inclosedand protected by the anges 7, 8, 9, and 10, the openings between which are 'all transverse, no vertical opening being presented through which grass I or dirt can enter to interfere withV the free Irunning or effective operation of the drivingrack and pinion. The pinion is covered by a cap-plate 11, located upon the out-side of the side frame l and also forming a transverse joint with the liange 9 ofthe wheel 3,as shown In order to secure each wheel 3 longitudinally to the shaft 2 and yet permit free rota- `tion of said wheel, the shaft has near its outer end a groove 12, to which is adapted a forked washer 13, secured by a set-screw 14 or other available means to the hub of the wheel 3, this washer serving to prevent lateral movelment in either direction of the wheel upon the shaft, but permitting the free turning Vmovement'. of said wheel and being readily removed when it becomes necessary to withd raw the wheel from the shaft.

rlhe pinion 5 is mounted so as to be capaible of turning freely upon the shaft 6 of the 1cutter-reel, and said pinion has a hollow hub 15, with a series of inlernally-projecting teeth 16, with which are adapted to engage pawls 17, mounted in openings in the reel-shaft, so ias to be free to slide radially in said openings, the teeth 1G being so formed that the pinion 5 can turn backwardlyindependently of the reel-shaft, the beveled backs of the teeth in such case simply causing the pawls 17 to slide through the openings in the reelshaft; but on the .forward movement of the pinion the abrupt face of one of its teeth 16 will engage with one of the pawls 17 and will drive the reel-shaft forwardly.

By the use of a series of pawls located side by side along the shaft and disposed at different a'ngles within the compassl of a single tooth of the driving-wheel I correspondingly lessen the amountof lost motion whenever the pinion 5 changes from a backward to a forward motion, the lost motion in any case being only that which exists between the face of a tooth 16 and that of the nearest pawl 17 when the motion of the pinion is reversed. Hence if three teeth and three pawls are employed the lost motion will in no case exceed one-ninth ofaturn and byincreasing the number of teeth and pawls the lost lnot-ion may be still further reduced.

The end spiders 1S of the reel are rigidly bolted to the reel-shaft 6 and carry the cutrop ting-blades 19 of the reel, as usual, and each of said end spiders is recessed for the reception of a steel 1boil or pocket 20, constituting a race for a series of balls 21, the other race for which is formed -by a cone 22, having a`Y threaded stein adapted toa threaded opening in the side frame l and pro-vided with openings 23 for the reception of a suitable implement, whereby it may be readily turned in;L

order to tighten or slacken the ball-bearing for the end ofthe reel.

As a means of securing the cone-in position after adjustment VI use a block`24, ofV brass,

j copper, or other soft metal or alloy, let into a recess in the threaded portion of the side fra-me l and bearing upon the threaded stem of the cone 22, this locking-block 24 being pressed inwardly by means of a set-screw 25,

, bea-ring after the same had once been propameterV at each end, so as to form a shoulderV aga-inst which the side frame bears, as shown in Eig.V 7, the reduced portion 'of the rod being threaded `for the reception of a nut 29, whereby the rod is firmly secured to each side frame. The bearing-rod thus serves as a rigid portionof the frameof .the machine and is never disturbed by the adjustment of thel knife 26, the latter being simply moved upon the bearing-bar'in order to bring its cutting edge i-nto proper relation to the knives of the reel. Direct vertical adjustment ofthe knife may be effected by means of set-screws 30,

ladapted to threaded openings in the hollow rib 27 and bearing upon the top of the rod 28, and swingingmovement of the `knife on the bearing-bar can be effected by the action of set-screws 31 and 32 .upon a block 33, the setscrews being adapted to threaded openings inla lug 34: on the side frame and the block 33 bein g secured tothe knife-bar 26 at or near each end of the same. I thus provide for a mfuch more accurate adjustment of thefiXed knife than is possible with any adjusting devices With which I am familiar,for not only can the, kuife. be moved bodily so as to moveits cutting edge from .or toward the knives of the reel',but either end of the knife may be raised Y orlowered independently of the other, and `auyflack of truth in the alinement of the reelblade, as might be caused by dierences in -the'nside frames of the mower, may thus be compensated for. Furthermore, adjustments of the fixed knife are effected without interfering in any way withthe absol-ute rigidity of the framework of the machine which arises from the permanent connection of the rod28 with each of the side frames l. Y

In the modification shown in Fig. -9 a'cast- `metal bar 40, 'resting on the rod l28 and extending across'the machine, 'takes the place of thehollowsegmental rib 27 and end blocks 33 of the construction previously' described, the cutter-bar 26` in this case being secured to the under side of. the bar 40 and the adjustments of the latter being effected by setscrews 30 3'1 32 inthe same manner as before. i i l In order to provide a better bearing Athan usual for theends of the rear wooden -roller 35 of the machine, I form -in each :end of the roller an annular gr'oove'36, to which is adapted a hollow-stud 37, yprojecting from a bar-3S, vertically adjustable on the side frame of the machine, as usual, said hollowlstud receiving the cen traly tongue or plug 35i-of .the roller and,

constituting a bearing therefor 'to which the access of grass or dirt is much more difficult than to a simple opening formed in the end of the roller for the reception of a solid -stud .onthe bar 38, as usual.

Having lthus described my invention, I claim and desire `to secure 'by Letters Patent Vl. The within-'described fixed knife for a lawn-1no-wer,said knife consisti-ngof astraight projecting blade of sheet metal having ahol- 'low'segmental rib at the rear with concave under surface, whereby it can be mounted upon a bearing-rod,'so that the forwarder cutting edge of the straight projecting port-ion'of the blade can be raised or lowered, substantially as specified. i 2. The combination of the side frames lofi' the mower, a .transverse rod rigidly secured thereto, and having shoulders against which the side frames are firmly'pressed so that the 'rod acts as a vbrace for the frame, a fixed blade and a bar whereby it is mounted upon said rod, substantially as specified.

3. Thefcombination of the side frames of the mower, the transverse rod secured thereto, the fifzed cutter-blade, a bar whereby said blade is mounted on the rod, and set-screws carried by said bar and bearing upon the top of the rod so as to provide for vertical adjustment of the cutter blade, substantially as specified In testimony whereof I `have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two ,subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL PERGY TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

W. H. DRAKE, ARTHUR RUSSELL.

IIO 

